Admission to controversial four-year course in Delhi University begins

New Delhi: The admission process for this academic year at Delhi University began today with the sale of admission forms. However, the biggest worry for all students who flocked to the university to buy forms was the four-year vs the three-year debate.

The debate was over the decision to switch. From this academic year, the university has changed its three-year undergraduate course to four years, making it compulsory for students to study 11 foundation courses during the first two years. The decision has witnessed strong protests by both teachers and student organisations who say the move is ill-timed and not properly planned.

Chanchal Kumar is from Delhi and scored 82 per cent in the arts stream, and now wants admission to a north campus college. He says the four-year system is not right as other universities in the country offer three-year course and there is nothing wrong with them.

But just two places behind him in the queue, Avinash Singh says the four-year course measures up to international standards.

But unfazed by the debates, the university says its new and controversial course is on track and that students and parents have been educated about it.

For a majority of these students though, the focus was on trying to make sense of these forms, and managing to get admission to a college of their choice. This year, students can only tick the course choices on the form, and then walk into any college for admission where their marks meet the cut-off criteria.

These forms will be on sale till June 19, and the first cut-off lists for the university will be out on the 27th. And in a relief for students in this searing summer heat, the forms have been made available online.